New Delhi: In a refreshing break from stories about toxic workplaces, screenshots of a manager simply approving employees’ leave and work-from-home requests have gone viral on Reddit.
An employee shared the WhatsApp conversations on the r/IndianWorkplace subreddit under the title “One from the manager’s side”. He said he often came across posts about difficult bosses and wanted to show what workplace conversations can look like when a manager simply responds normally.
Boss gives simple replies to leave requests
The screenshots showed employees informing their manager about illness, asking to work from home or requesting leave.
In one conversation, an employee said their cough had worsened overnight and that they felt it would be better to work from home. They apologised for the short notice.
The manager simply replied, “Ok, makes sense. Take care.”
In another exchange, an employee said they had developed a fever after returning from the office. The manager responded with a simple “Take care.”
Another employee said they were feeling low on energy after attending family functions and would find it difficult to travel to the office. The response was equally straightforward: “Ok, no problem.”
‘Sometimes the screenshots are boring’
The employee who shared the screenshots said the post was not meant to show off. Instead, he wanted to offer a different perspective from the usual workplace complaints.
He said the conversations were “boring” precisely because the manager was responding to reasonable requests without confrontation or unnecessary questioning.
The post sparked discussion about what makes a good manager. One Reddit user said managers should create systems that allow teams to continue functioning when employees take leave.
The ordinary conversations stood out because there was no guilt-tripping, confrontation or lengthy negotiation — just employees communicating their needs and a manager responding with understanding.